Car Insurance - is it sex discrimination?

leversidgem

Hi, i'm new to the forum but wanted to ask a question. I am looking at car insurance for my son who is 17 (ouch I hear you say!) yes it is looking very expensive. If i request a quote in his name i get one price but if i change his details to Miss (leaving all other facts the same) I get a quote for under half the price. I know that male drivers are considered a higher risk but is this not sex discrimination as a newly qualified male is surely the same as a newly qualified female. Some girls are just as reckless as some boys and in these days of sex discrimination laws could this price differential be challenged. My son has a clean slate like most new drivers why should he be penalised from the outset just because he is male? Sorry i'm ranting a little now but it has really infuriated me that the differential is so great.

EdInvestor

Insurance is different: they are allowed to do this, because you are paying for something based on an actuarial calculation/judgment of risk.

In the same way,life assurance and pension annuities will be different prices for men and women as the latter tend to live longer.

In some cases the men win, in some cases the women.

vikingaero

EdInvestor wrote: »

Insurance is different: they are allowed to do this, because you are paying for something based on an actuarial calculation/judgment of risk.

Spot on Ed. Insurance does not fall foul of sex discrimination because of actuarial and statistical risk. Otherwise everyone would be charged a flat rate for car insurance and you'll be moaning because you have to pay hundreds more for your car insurance!;)

Labman_2

The phrase 'boy racers' comes to mind....the phrase 'girl racers' doesn't, hence the difference in quotes. Nothing to do with discrimination....males are higher risk!

anewman

You can only change the car to one he probably won't like but would be cheaper insurance.

Inactive

You could place the same argument about his age, nothing changes tho', it is all based on the risk imposed upon the insurance company.

Same applies to Post Codes on House Insurance as well.

As anewman states, change car to cheaper risk banding one, or pay up i'm afraid.

anewman

Pattern seems to be that quinn direct (quotes available via confused.com) are good for new drivers. I found ecarinsurance.co.uk to be cheaper than quinn for me.

anewman

Inactive wrote: »

Same applies to Post Codes on House Insurance as well.

Postcodes also greatly affect car insurance. If I lived at my girlfriend's parents house it would be at least £200 cheaper.

Other option would be to see how much a sex change op would cost and if it would save enough to make back the cost and more :rotfl:

andyrules

leversidgem wrote: »

Hi, i'm new to the forum but wanted to ask a question. I am looking at car insurance for my son who is 17 (ouch I hear you say!) yes it is looking very expensive. If i request a quote in his name i get one price but if i change his details to Miss (leaving all other facts the same) I get a quote for under half the price. I know that male drivers are considered a higher risk but is this not sex discrimination as a newly qualified male is surely the same as a newly qualified female. Some girls are just as reckless as some boys and in these days of sex discrimination laws could this price differential be challenged. My son has a clean slate like most new drivers why should he be penalised from the outset just because he is male? Sorry i'm ranting a little now but it has really infuriated me that the differential is so great.

got a decent quote for my DS, 17, from Quinn as recommended on here. When I asked how much extra it would be to add DD, 2 years older, it is nothing!! That's because she's a girl apparently! Still, he's cheaper in a million other ways!!

lisyloo

as a newly qualified male is surely the same as a newly qualified female

No they are not the same.
Male drivers are higher risk and have more accidents.
Sorry if you don't like it, but it's a fact.

Woby_Tide

anewman wrote: »

Postcodes also greatly affect car insurance. If I lived at my girlfriend's parents house it would be at least £200 cheaper.

I bet it wouldn't be cheaper, you'd be spending a fortune trying to find a reason to stay out of the house everynight...;)